Lamp supporting and operating structure



Feb. 26, 1957 w. E. BR'OWN 2,783,318

LAMP SUPPORTING AND OPERATING STRUCTURE Filed 061;; 20, 1955 I "I'll aa? I 30 3. "wry 4'1 43 z 1 INVENTOR W/lL/A/f E. BROWN l5 Arm/MT Y UnitedStates Patent 2 LAMP SUPPORTING AND OPERATING STRUCTURE William E.Brown, Anderson, Ind., assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit,Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application October 20, 1955, SerialNo. 541,595

8 Claims. (Cl. 200-5113) This invention relates to compartment lightsand more particularly to an improvedmotor vehicle glove compartment lampsocket and switch structure.

.An object of the present invention is to improveand simplify theconstruction of a glove compartment switch andv lamp structure. whichmay be readily manufactured and assembled at low cost. To accomplishthese and other objects, the switch and lamp structure comprises a onepiece casing of molded. rnsulating material which has a lamp socketintegrally formed on one end and which casingalso includes integrallyformed lugs disposed onthe end of. resilient arms and spaced to maintaina two diameter spring. withinthe casing when the bulb is absent from thesocket. In .the type of device contemplated by the present invention,the switch actuator is maintained in position on .one end of the housingby the springwhich is held in position by the pair of spaced lugs so theposition of the spring relative to the bulb socket will be maintainedduring periods when the bulb is absentfrom the socket which is formed inthe other end of the housing.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparentfrom. the following description, reference being had to theaccompanyingdrawings wherein preferred embodiments of the present invention areclearly shown.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side view of the glove compartment switch and lampstructure according to the present invention.

Figure 2 is an end. view of the structure in Figure 1 taken in thedirection of arrow 2 with the bulb removed to more clearly show thepartsof the structure.

Figure 3 is a view along line 3 -3 in Figure 1 with certain parts of thestructure broken away to show, in section, the improvements according tothe present invention.

Figure 4 is a sectional view along line 44 in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a sectional view along line 3-3 in Figure l with the bulbremoved from the structure to show the spring catch operation.

Figures 6 and 7 show. a plan and side view of the terminal asused in thedevice in Figure 1.

In the drawings, the glove compartment lamp and switchstructure shownincorporates certain improvements in the device as set forth in thePatent 2,686,852, which has been assigned by the inventor, William E.Brown, to the assignee of the present invention. These improvements willprovide a structure that may be manufactured at .a considerably lowercost than the switch shown in the Brown patent supra as the switch,according to the present invention, is formed with a reduced number ofparts and is easier to assemble during manufacture.

Referring now to the drawings, 20 designates a. onepiece molded body orhousing of insulating material or plastic. The body 20 is preferablytubular and is formed with a cylindrical recess 21 extending from anopen end and terminating short of the other end to provide an end wall22 having a central opening 23.

2,783,318 Patented Feb 26,1 1957 The body 20 carries an aperturedmetallic retainer clip 24 which abuts the outer face of end wall 22 and1s secured to the body .when an integral shank 26, which surrounds theaperture in clip 24, is spun over the inner surface of wall 22. The clip24 is also provided with a plurality of circumferentially locatedresilient prongs 28 which are adapted to snap into a suitable sizedopening in a support, not shown.

The .shank 26 of clip 24 slidably supports a plunger 30. The plunger isformed from a molded insulating material or suitable plastic andincludes a stem 32 and an enlarged head 34. The head is. embraced by acupshaped contact 36 which is secured to the head by spinning over therim of the cup against the head 34. The contact 36 is adapted to engagethe spun over portions of the shank 26. The plunger 30, with itsattached contact 36, is assembled in the recess 21 by inserting theplunger from the open end of the housing 20. The contact 36 .has asliding fit on the walls of recess 21 to guide the plunger in a straightline axial movement with respect to the housing 20. The spun overportion of the contact 36 is adapted to engage the spun over portion ofthe shank 26 to form a ground for the electrical circuit and to limitthe outward movement of the plunger 30.

The composite conducting spring 40 is formed from a single length ofmusic wire. This spring 40 is formed to provide two coils 41 and 42. Thecoil 41 comprises a plurality of relatively large spaced convolutionsand the coil 42 comprises a plurality of relatively small convolutionsin contact with each other. The coils 41 and 42 are formed along thesame axis. The spring 40 is inserted from the open end of the housing 20into recess 21 so the end convolution of the large coil 41 engagescontact 36. The spring 40 is maintained in the recess 21 by a pair ofspaced lugs or means 44 when the bulb 46 is absent from a bulb retainingsocket 48 as will be hereinafter described.

The spring retaining lugs 44 form one of the important features of thepresent invention as they cooperate to maintain the parts of the deviceassembled during periods when the bulb 46 is absent.

As is readily apparent from the drawings, the housing 20 is formed withtwo spaced pairs of spaced slots 50 and 52. These slots longitudinallyextend in the housing wall and each pair isparranged to define an.extending resilient arm-like portion 54 which is joined to the body ofhousing 20 as shown and has a free end 56 detached from the body at theopen end thereof. A lug 44 is formed on the free end 56 of the arm 54.This lug 44 is provided with an inclined surface 58 which terminates atthe spring engaging surface 60. The slots 50 and 52 are preferablyarranged so that the lugs 44 will be located in opposed. relation andextend into the recess 21. The arrangement of the lugs 44 and arms 54 onthe walls of the housing will permit the lugs 44 to laterally spread ormove outwardly of recess 21 when the spring 40 is inserted in recess 21.When the spring 41 is so inserted, the larger diameter portion 41 willengage .the surface 58 and ride thereover so the spring 40 may beinserted into the recess 21 without difiiculty. After the entire largerdiameter portion 41 has passed over the lugs 44, the resilient arms 54,because of their attachment on the housing 21, will cause the lugs 44 tomove inwardly so the spring engaging surface 60 will catch or engage theend convolution of the portion 41 of spring 40 that is adjacent theportion 42. Thus, the spring 40 will be held in place by the-lugs 44that are integrally formed with housing 20. From the drawings, it isapparent thatthe lugs. will maintain the spring in position in thehousing only during those periods when the bulb 46 is absent from thebulb retaining socket or means which is also integrally formed in thehousing 20 and which will now be described.

The recess 21, at the open end of housing 2%), is enlarged to form achamber 48 in which the associated lamp bulb 46 is positioned. The bulb46 has the usual cylindrical base 62, generally of brass, whichconstitutes one contact, and a second contact 64, of the conventionaltype, Which is mounted on the end of the base 62 but separated therefromby insulating material 66. The contact 64 is engaged by the endconvolution of the smaller diameter portion 42 of spring 40 and is heldin firm electrical contact therewith by the larger diameter portion 41so that the ground connection from contact 64 to the clip 24 isestablished as has been heretofore set forth. The base 62 is engaged bya terminal on a conductor 68 which will be later described and which isconnected in the conventional manner to a suitably grounded storagebattery or other source of current.

In the wall of the housing 20, surrounding chamber 48, is a bayonet slot70 having an axial portion 72 and a transverse portion 74 which isadapted to be engaged by the pin or lug 76 extending from the bulb base62 to retain the bulb 46 in proper position. If desired, the chamber 48may be connected with the remainder of the recess 21 by an inclined wall'78 to facilitate the insertion of the plunger 30 and spring 40.

Formed in the housing 20 at the lower side thereof, as shown in Figure4, is a chamber or passage 80. The shape of this passage and itslocation relative to slot portion 72 is best shown in Figure 2. Theinner face 82 of the passage 80 terminates at a point about the inclinedsurface 78 so, from that point to the right, as seen in Figure 4, thepassage 80 merges with the chamber 48 so there is no dividing wallbetween the chamber 48 and passage 80, but, instead, an opening isprovided through which contact is made between base 62 and a terminal 92which is received in passage 80. The wall 86 of passage 80, opposite theinner face 82, is curved. Extending to the right and left from thepassage 80 are two slots 68 and 90, as seen in Figure 2.

A terminal 92 is suitably secured on the end of con ductor 68 as shownin Figures 6 and 7. This terminal 92 is sized to slide into slots 88 and90 and is preferably formed of brass so the end of the hook portion 94is out of the plane of the remainder of the terminal 92. The side of theterminal 92 opposite the end of the hook portion 94 has a shoulder 96.This shoulder is arranged to engage a suitable restriction (not shown)in slot 90 to limit the distance which the terminal 92 may be insertedinto the slots 88 and W. The hook portion 94 is bent so it also willengage behind a suitably located lug, not shown, in slot 88 to preventthe terminal 92 from being withdrawn from the slots 33 and 90 once ithas been slid therein. The terminal 92 also has a bayonet slot 98 whichreceives a lug 104i projecting from the base 62 of bulb 46 at a pointdiametrically opposite to the lug 76. The slot 98 is so formed in theterminal 92 that the lug 100 may first axially pass through a groove 102in housing 20 and be rotated into slot 98 and engage behind the notch104 in terminal 92.

When the lamp 46 is installed in the chamber 48, current may pass to thelamp through conductor 68, terminal 92, lug 100 and contact 64 andthence through the spring 46 etc. Thus, it is to be noted that the lampcircuit is established and that the lamp 46 is held in the glovecompartment housing 20 without the use of sleeves or other separate bulbholding devices, etc., as have been heretofore employed in the type ofstructure herein disclosed.

From the above, it is apparent that the structure, according to thepresent invention, will provide an economical structure that is easy toassemble. The completely molded housing with its integral springretaining means and bulb socket makes this result possible. Also, it isapparent that the lugs which are formed integrally on the switch housingmay be carried on arms that are transversely formed in the walls of thehousing or that the arms may be joined on both ends to the housingproviding the material of the housing is sufliciently elastic to permitthe larger diameter of the spring to pass thereby. It is also within thescope of my invention to utilize only one resilient lug for the purposeindicated although it has been found that at least two lugs provide themost satisfactory spring holding means.

While the embodiments of the present invention as herein disclosedconstitute preferred forms, it is to be understood that other formsmight be adopted.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. In a device of the character described having; a molded tubularmember of insulating material open at both ends and having an enlargeddiameter portion on one end arranged to provide a socket for a bayonettype bulb and a restricted opening arranged to provide a shoulder on theother end, a plunger extending through said opening having anenlargement on one end movable within said tubular member and abutablewith said shoulder, a spring carried within said tubular member formedto provide two coils of different diameters on opposite ends thereof,said spring being carried in said tubular member with the largerdiameter coil resting on the plunger enlargement for urging saidenlargement against said shoulder and the smaller coil urged by thelarger coil to be in contact with a terminal of said bulb, and a meansfor retaining said spring in said tubular member when said bulb isremoved from said socket, said means comprising a pair of lugsintegrally formed on said tubular member and arranged to engage saidspring where the diameter thereof is reduced to form said smaller coil.

2. In a device of the character described having a body of moldedinsulating material having a recess therein opening to one end thereofand terminating short of the other end to provide an end wall for thebody, said end wall having a central opening therein, a terminalextending through said opening and having portions overlaying inner andouter surfaces of said end wall, a movable plunger of insulatingmaterial guided by said terminal; a contact carried by the plungerarranged to be moved into and out of contact with said terminal, meansincluding a pair of opposed grooves in said body opening into saidrecess and longitudinally extending a predetermined distance from theopen end thereof for retaining a bayonet socket type bulb, having acentral terminal in said recess, a second terminal carried by the wallsof said body arranged to contact a bayonet lug of said bulb, a one piececonducting wire formed to provide a plurality of spaced relatively largeconvolutions and a plurality of contacting relatively smallconvolutions, said wire being positioned in the recess of said body withthe large convolution portion in contact with the contact as carried bysaid plunger and the smaller convolution portion in contact with thecentral terminal of the bulb, a means for maintaining the conductingwire in said recess when said bulb is removed from said recess, saidmeans including a pair of spaced resilient lugs integrally formed in themolded body and inwardly extending into said recess and adapted toengage the larger diameter convolutions only of said conducting wire.

3. In an electric switch having a tubular housing of insulating materialwith an open end and a spring having a larger and a smaller diameterportion within said housing, a means for maintaining said spring withinsaid housing comprising; a pair of spaced lugs integrally formed on theinner walls of said housing arranged for engaging the larger diameterportion only of said spring and having an inclined surface arranged topermit passage of the larger diameter portion of said spring past saidlugs when said spring is inserted in said housing from the open endthereof.

4. In a device of the character described having a tubular housing ofinsulating material and a spring having a larger and smaller diameterportion, a means for maintaining said spring in a predetermined positionwithin said housing comprising; at least one resilient arm integrallyformed on said tubular housing having an integral lug thereon engageablewith the larger diameter portion of said spring.

5. In a device of the character described having a housing of insulatingmaterial having an extending tubular wall with a bulb receiving socketon one end and spring having a larger and smaller diameter portionwithin said housing, a means for maintaining said spring in positionrelative to said socket comprising; a pair of spaced slotslongitudinally extending in the tubular wall of said housing, aresilient longitudinally extending member formed of material of thehousing located between said slots, and a lug integrally formed on saidmember extending inwardly into said housing and located on said memberto engage the larger diameter portion only of said spring.

6. In a glove compartment light switch unit for use in a motor vehiclehaving an elongate tubular housing of molded insulating material havingan actuator stop on one end and a bulb retaining socket on the other endwith a spring of two diameters between said stop and socket, theimprovement which comprises; forming said housing with a pair of spacedslots having a central portion between the slots integrally formed withan attached to said housing at at least one end thereof and having aprojection on the other end of said central portion inwardly extendinginto said tubular housing constructed and arranged to engage the largerdiameter portion only of said spring for maintaining said spring in apredetermined position within said housing.

7. In a glove compartment light switch unit for use in motor vehicleshaving an elongate tubular housing of molded insulating material havinga switch actuator stop on one end and a bulb socket on the other endwith a spring of two diameters between said stop and socket, theimprovement which comprises, forming said housing with at least twospaced pairs of spaced slots extending in the walls of said housing witheach of said pairs of slots having a portion of the housing therebetweenintegrally formed with and attached to said housing at one end andhaving the other end freely movable relative to said housing, aprojection on the free end of each of said portions inwardly extendinginto said housing and disposed on said portion for engaging the largerdiameter portion only of said spring for maintaining said spring in apredetermined position within said housing.

8. In a glove compartment light switch unit for use in a motor vehiclehaving an elongate tubular housing of molded insulating material havingan actuator switch stop on one end and a bulb socket on the other endwith a spring of two difierent diameters between said stop and socket,the improvement comprising; forming said housing with two spaced pairsof spaced slots extending in the walls of said housing on opposite sidesof said housing with each of said pairs of slots having a portiontherebetween integrally formed with an attached at one end to saidhousing and having the other end freely movable relative to the walls ofsaid housing, a projection on the free end of each of said portions,said projections extending inwardly on opposite sides of the interior ofsaid housing for engaging the larger diameter portion only of saidspring for maintaining said spring in a predetermined position relativeto said socket.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,757,437 Muldoom May 6, 1930 2,646,477 Herterick July 21, 19532,686,852 Brown Aug. 17, 1954 2,700,788 Hennelly Feb. 1, 1955

